


First Impressions are Important

by CobraOnTheCob



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Love at First Sight, No War AU, Zutara Holiday Exchange 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-14 11:27:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28919811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CobraOnTheCob/pseuds/CobraOnTheCob
Summary: Zuko's putting Takara to bed with some advice.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	First Impressions are Important

**Author's Note:**

  * For [labelleepoque](https://archiveofourown.org/users/labelleepoque/gifts).



> I'm so sorry I'm posting this a month late, I got clobbered by school and the prompts.

“First impressions are important,” Zuko said to his five-year-old daughter Takara, “Especially since we’re royalty - “

“Didn’t you nearly trip over your own words when you first saw Mommy?” Takara asked, and Zuko flushed at that.

“I - who...who told you that?!” Zuko yelped, “Was it your Uncle Sokka? I bet it was - “

“Nope! It was Mommy!” Takara said proudly, and Zuko groaned.

“Well, Mommy can’t get in trouble for that,” Zuko said with a sigh, and Takara blinked inquisitively.

“Why not? Why would Uncle Sokka get in trouble?”

“Because your Uncle Sokka is fair game. Mommy practically runs this country - “

“But aren’t you the Fire Lord?” Takara asked, blinking owlishly. 

“Everyone’s agreed that she’s the one who’s pulling the strings,” Zuko said, “And it’s true. She pulls all the strings, I’m just her puppet.”

“Oh?” Katara asks, seemingly materializing at the door, “I’m a puppetmaster now on top of being the Fire Lady?” 

“You’re the puppetmaster of my heart, if that’s what you’re asking,” Zuko said, and Katara giggled.

“Don’t be so cheesy,” she said, “Come on, do you want to hear about how he nearly went head over heels for me when we first met?”

“Of course!” Takara said.

“Where’s Kya and Kama?” Zuko asked suddenly.

“I put them to bed,” Katara said, “Now, Takara, we met because I was the diplomat for the Southern Water Tribe - my status as the chief’s daughter prevented me from gaining the Ambassador position, but I could get involved in the political stage via as a diplomat. I don’t know what exactly the difference is, but I’ll take it.”

“Please no…” Zuko mock-groaned as Katara grinned at him.

“Oh come on, it’s the best part!” Katara said, “Now, I was to arrive on a boat, and it was Zuko’s duty to come and meet any political figure, right?”

“And then what happened?” Takara asked, and Katara could only smile.

“Well, I got off the boat, and he started welcoming my entourage and me, and then he stopped for some reason,” Katara said, and Zuko buried his face into her shoulder.

“Love, it’s so embarrassing,” he protested, and she only ruffled his hair in response.

“Now, I thought I’d done something wrong - a breach of conduct or something - but it turns out, he froze up because of how beautiful I was,” Katara giggled.

“Really?” Takara asked. Katara nodded.

“Yeah, so much that - “ 

“I can take over,” Zuko interrupted, his cheeks nearly as red like the nation’s color, “I froze up so badly that I nearly forgot the speech I had to give.”

“That badly?” Takara asked, and both her parents nodded.

“And it was a simple speech too!” Zuko said, “But I froze up and nearly skipped all the formalities - “

“He was very close to telling me that I looked beautiful,” Katara laughed.

“Not beautiful, the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” Zuko corrected.

“It wouldn’t be the worst breach of conduct,” Katara said, “But it would’ve broken so many people’s hearts.”

“Too bad for them,” Zuko said, “But! To sum it up, first impressions are very important, and your mother can teach you how to be smooth in such situations.”

“Really?” Takara asked, and her parents could only shake their heads.

“It’s late, sweetie,” Katara said, “We can do it in the morning.”

“Thanks Mom,” Takara said, and yawned, “But I’m not sleepy…”

“I think that yawn said otherwise,” Zuko said, and began to tuck her into bed, “You don’t quite rise with the moon like your mother, you tend to rise with the sun like me.”

“Sssshhhh, she’s asleep,” Katara whispered, and Zuko smiled before taking her hand and leading her out of the room.

“Come on, let’s go to bed,” Zuko said, and Katara could only giggle.

“You rise with the sun, hmmmm?” she teased, and Zuko could only raise his brows. 

“Try me,” is all he said as they step into their room.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed the very late submission, sorry about that!


End file.
